Olivia Empson, at just 9 years old, already understands the power of mindfulness.
“Mindfulness is really just a big fancy word for paying attention,” Olivia explained.
But mindfulness is more than just a trendy term—it’s a practice that thousands of people use around the world every day.
For Melissa McIntosh, a Stratford mother, mindfulness is central to her life. She founded Mindful Kids Incorporated eight years ago to teach children how to incorporate mindfulness into their everyday routines.
“We often tell kids to pay attention, but we don’t always show them how,” McIntosh said. “Mindfulness is about teaching them the ‘how’—how to focus in different ways using mindful tools to help them stay calm in daily life.”
For Olivia and her fellow campers, mindfulness offers tools for self-regulation, especially when things aren’t going as planned.
“If I’m feeling sad at home or angry at school, mindfulness helps me calm down,” Olivia said. “It gives me more options besides talking to a teacher or getting upset.”
McIntosh refers to mindfulness as “the lost art,” a practice that once came naturally but is now needed more than ever.
“A couple generations ago, mindfulness was just a part of life. Today, it’s more important than ever. Technology is amazing in many ways, but we also need to teach kids healthy ways to cope in today’s busy world,” McIntosh said.
With a background in education, McIntosh runs mindfulness camps like the one in Stratford, as well as one-on-one sessions. These camps cover a variety of topics, from sports to girl empowerment, but all are grounded in the principles of mindfulness.
“It’s not just about sitting still and meditating for an hour. We incorporate mindfulness into everything we do, helping kids find their calm and make the most of their day,” McIntosh explained.
Mindful Kids Inc. is growing, and McIntosh hopes to expand her program beyond Stratford, helping children across Ontario learn how to stay calm and focused.
Olivia is a big fan of the program and thinks it’s something adults could benefit from as well.
When asked if she thinks adults should practice mindfulness, Olivia responded, “Probably.”
